Sprint training exercise system and method

Claim 2

An exercise system for restraining a moving animal comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining an exercise track therebetween; (b) two restraining means, each slidably carried by one of said two spaced-apart railings for providing a net restraining force; and (c) harness means for restraining an animal moving on said exercise track, and attached to said two restraining means and adapted to be worn by an animal so that the net restraining force is conveyed to a moving animal wearing said harness means on said exercise track.

Claim 3

The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising aligning means for aligning the net restraining force generally parallel to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings.

Claim 4

The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said aligning means comprises: detection means for sensing the forces conveyed to an animal wearing said harness means that are perpendicular to said center line; and regulation means for regulating each of said two restraining means responsive to the sensed perpendicular forces so that the net restraining force is aligned generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 5

The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said aligning means comprises control means for controlling the magnitude of the net restraining force.

Claim 6

The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said control means comprises force adjusting means for adjusting the magnitude of the net restraining force during movement of an animal wearing said harness means on said exercise track.

Claim 7

The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising control means for controlling the magnitude of the net restraining force.

Claim 8

The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said control means comprises means for adjusting each of said two restraining means so that the magnitude of the net restraining force is controlled.

Claim 9

The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said control means comprises force adjusting means for adjusting the magnitude of the net restraining force during animal exercise on said exercise track.

Claim 10

The system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said two restraining means comprises a brake for creating a variable amount of resistance to movement of one of said two restraining means, said resistance not being created by interaction of said brake with one of said two railings.

Claim 11

The system as defined in claim 9 wherein said brake comprises an aerodynamic brake for creating a variable amount of aerodynamic drag.

Claim 12

The system as defined in claim 9 further comprising a second brake for creating further resistance to movement of one of said two restraining means by interacting with one of said two railings.

Claim 13

The system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said two restraining means comprises a brake for creating a variable amount of resistance to movement of one of said two restraining means, said resistance being created by interaction of said brake with one of said two railings.

Claim 14

The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said brake comprises a friction brake for creating a variable amount of frictional resistance.

Claim 15

The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said brake comprises a magnetic brake for creating a variable amount of magnetic resistance.

Claim 16

The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said defined exercise track is endless.

Claim 17

The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a downward force vector to an animal wearing said harness means.

Claim 18

The exercise system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said two restraining means comprises a propulsion device.

Claim 19

An exercise system for training an animal comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining an exercise track therebetween; (b) two restraining means, each slidably carried by one of said two spaced-apart railings, for providing a net restraining force opposing movement of an animal on said exercise track, each of said two restraining means having braking means for creating the net restraining force by variably resisting movement of one of said two restraining means; (c) harness means attached to said two restraining means and adapted to be worn by an animal for conveying the net restraining force to an animal moving on said exercise track; and (d) centering means for aligning the net restraining force generally parallel to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings, said centering means comprising, detection means carried by said harness means for sensing forces perpendicular to said center line to said two spaced-apart railings, transmission means carried by said harness means for transmitting a signal to receiver means in at least one of said two restraining means, said signal conveying data related to said location to at least one of said two restraining means, and regulation means carried by at least one of said restraining means for variably regulating the resistance provided by said braking means responsive to the sensed perpendicular forces so that the net restraining force is aligned generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 20

An exercise system for training an animal comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining an exercise track therebetween; (b) two restraining means, each slidably carried by one of said two spaced-apart railings, for providing a net restraining force opposing movement of an animal on said exercise track, each of said two restraining means having braking means for creating the net restraining force by variably resisting movement of one of said two restraining means; (c) harness means attached to said two restraining means and adapted to be worn by an animal for conveying the net restraining force to an animal moving on said exercise track; and (d) centering means for aligning the net restraining force generally parallel to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings, said centering means comprising, detection means carried by said harness means for sensing forces perpendicular to said center line to said two spaced-apart railings, transmission means carried by said harness means for transmitting a signal to receiver means in at least one of said two restraining means, said signal conveying data related to said location to at least one of said two restraining means, and regulation means carried by at least one of said restraining means for variably regulating the resistance provided by said braking means responsive to the sensed perpendicular forces so that the net restraining force is aligned generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 21

The system as defined in claim 18 wherein said detection means comprises at lease one moveable arm and means for detecting angular displacement of said moveable arm.

Claim 22

The system as defined in claim 19 wherein said detection means further comprises swivel means for maintaining said moveable arm generally horizontal when said harness means is not horizontal.

Claim 23

The system as defined in claim 18 wherein said harness means comprises a generally V-shaped rig adapted to be worn by an animal with the distal ends thereof carried on the forward flanks of the animal and the apex carried rearwardly of the animal, and tether means attached to said apex and to said two restraining means for conveying the net restraining force.

Claim 24

The system as defined in claim 21 wherein each of said distal ends of said V-shaped rig comprises means for pivotably and rotatably carrying said distal ends so that said apex remains relatively stable during movement of an animal wearing said harness means and so that said distal ends conform to the flanks of the animal.

Claim 25

An exercise system for training an animal comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining an exercise track therebetween; (b) two restraining means, each slidably carried by one of said two spaced-apart railings, for providing a net restraining force opposing movement of an animal on said exercise track, each of said two restraining means having braking means for creating the net restraining force by variably resisting movement of one of said two restraining means; (c) harness means attached to said two restraining means and adapted to be worn by an animal for conveying the net restraining force to an animal moving on said exercise track; and (d) centering means for aligning the net restraining force generally parallel to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings, said centering means comprising, detection means carried by at least one of said two restraining means for providing a signal related to the location of an animal wearing said harness means relative to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings, regulation means carried by at least one of said two restraining means for variably regulating the resistance provided by one of said braking means responsive to the provided signal so that the net restraining force is aligned generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 26

An exercise system for training an animal comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining an exercise track therebetween; (b) two restraining means, each slidably carried by one of said two spaced-apart railings, for providing a net restraining force opposing movement of an animal on said exercise track, each of said two restraining means having braking means for creating the net restraining force by variably resisting movement of one of said two restraining means; (c) harness means attached to said two restraining means and adapted to be worn by an animal for conveying the net restraining force to an animal moving on said exercise track; and (d) centering means for aligning the net restraining force generally parallel to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings, said centering means comprising, detection means carried by at least one of said two restraining means for providing a signal related to the location of an animal wearing said harness means relative to the center line of said two spaced-apart railings, regulation means carried by at least one of said two restraining means for variably regulating the resistance provided by one of said braking means responsive to the provided signal so that the net restraining force is aligned generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 27

The system as defined in claim 23 wherein said detection means comprises a movable arm and means for detecting angular displacement of said movable arm, the angular displacement being related to the location of the animal.

Claim 28

The system as defined in claim 24 wherein said harness means comprises a tether attached to said movable arm and carried by an animal on said exercise track so that movement of said movable arm is related to movement of an animal related to said two spaced-apart railings.

Claim 29

An exercise system for an animal moving on an exercise track comprising means for providing a net restraining force that restrains an animal moving on said exercise track, the direction of the net restraining force being generally parallel to the center line of said exercise track when the animal is not moving on and generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 30

An exercise system for an animal moving on an exercise track comprising means for providing a net restraining force that restrains an animal moving on said exercise track, the direction of the net restraining force being generally parallel to the center line of said exercise track when the animal is not moving on and generally parallel to said center line.

Claim 31

An exercise system for restraining an animal moving on an exercise track comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining said exercise track; and (b) means carried by each of said railings for providing a net force parallel to the center line of said track and opposing the animal's motion.

Claim 32

An exercise system for restraining an animal moving on an exercise track comprising: (a) two spaced-apart railings defining said exercise track; and (b) means carried by each of said railings for providing a net force parallel to the center line of said track and opposing the animal's motion.

Claim 33

The system as defined in claim 27 further comprising means for varying the magnitude of the net force when an animal is moving on said track.

Claim 34

The exercise system as defined in claim 25 wherein said means for providing a force comprises a propulsion device.

Claim 37

The system as defined in claim 30 wherein said frame comprises means for adjusting the angles of attack of said plural louvers.

Claim 38

The system as defined in claim 31 wherein said frame further comprises means for providing a signal related to the location of an animal wearing said harness means relative to said railing, and means for adjusting the angles of attack of said plural louvers responsively to the provided signal.

Claim 41

The system as defined in claim 33 wherein said restraining means comprises means for adjusting the coefficient of drag of said restraining means to vary the amount of aerodynamic drag provided.

Claim 42

In an exercise system that restrains an animal moving on an exercise track the improvement comprising means for substantially reducing the net of forces perpendicular to the center line of said exercise track when the animal is not moving parallel to the center line.

Claim 43

In an exercise system that restrains an animal moving on an exercise track the improvement comprising means for substantially reducing the net of forces perpendicular to the center line of said exercise track when the animal is not moving parallel to the center line.

Claim 46

The method as defined in claim 36 further comprising the step of variably controlling the resistance provided by said brake means so that the magnitude of the net restraining force is controlled.